For the Future of the World
by tanikara kohitsuji
Summary: NEW CHAPTER! sequel to Tokyo Mew Mew a la Mode. Umeko is a huge fan of the Mew Mews. But can one blame her when one saved her life? So when she sees a museum dedicated to them, she has to explore it. But what's this bright light? ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1 Shaken

Chapter 1: Shaken

Umeko stirred in her sleep.

"_Okāsan! Okāsan!" She heard footsteps approach. She was scared. Mommy was gone and people said there was a bomb. She had heard it was dangerous in here. She began to sob. Where were the Mew Mews?_

_A fair-haired teenager in white poked her head around the coats. White rabbit ears, white cat tail, a white Mew Mew costume. It was the new white Mew Mew!_

"_I want to grow up to be a Mew Mew when I grow up!"_

"_Don't hurt the Mew Mew!"_

_An explosion. Fire…no…no! Who was holding her? It was tight, comforting._

_The fire hurt. It was hot and suffocating._

Umeko moaned and flung out her arm.

Beep! Beep! BEEP! BEEP! An alarm screamed in Umeko's ear. Her eyes snapped open, grateful to the alarm clock. She shut off the alarm and sat up. She swung her legs off the bed.

What a dream…how long had she been away now? Six years? NO, her family left when she was five and now she was fourteen. That made it nine years. Nine years since she had left Japan and her beloved Mew Mews.

Umeko shook her head and stood. She needed to get ready for school. She wanted to be remembered for her style.

The last day of school. A monumental annual event. Today was even more important. Umeko graduated from eighth grade today. Good-bye, middle school. Today was a right of passage.

Umeko's heart raced as she walked up the aisle. Today was the day. Oh, she had waited so long for this. Nothing could ruin this day.

"Well, Umeko-chan, you're a big, bad ninth grader now," her mother squeezed Umeko close as they walked to the car.

"Hai, Okāsan," Umeko replied in her native tongue.

"We're going for ice cream," her mom announced. "I think this is worthy of celebration."

Umeko jumped into the front passenger seat and buckled her seatbelt. A short ride brought the family to a Friendly's restaurant.

After their orders arrived, Umeko's mom began.

"Umeko-chan, as you know, we moved here to America several years ago. Your father also recently lost his job. Well, he found a job," she hesitated here, "but it's not in the United States."

Umeko stopped drinking her milkshake.

"Wh—what do you mean?" Why was her stomach so tight? She hated how her voice had cracked at the beginning of her question.

"Well, we're moving, Umeko-chan."

"Where? Where are we going? Why now? Can't we wait!" The questions seemed to burst out of her. Her voice wasn't normal. It wasn't hers shouting these questions. It was someone with a high, squeaky voice.

"Umeko-chan, calm down!"

"Calm down? Why—how! You just told me we're going to leave my friends! How can I be calm about that! How could you do this to me? You ruined everything! I hate you!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Umeko regretted them. Except, she realized slowly, they were completely true. She hated her parents right now. How could they justify this? How could they? She had finally made roots here. Deep roots and they were demanding she cruelly rip them up in a minute! She couldn't believe they thought this was right!

Umeko stood quickly. Her heart was in turmoil and her head was spinning.

"I wish I had never been born! I wish you weren't my parents! I wish I had been born to anybody but you!"

She ran towards the exit. Her heart was breaking and her eyes stung. Her vision was blurring from unshed tears. She burst out the doors into the sunshine.

Why did her mom have to mar this day? The one that was supposed to be filled with joy? Now all her dreams, her hopes were in ashes in her hands. And nothing could mend them.

To say Umeko was slightly uncomfortable on the plane flight to Japan was an understatement. She spent half the flight in a fitful sleep interrupted by frequent tossings of her cookies. Also, the pillow provided was lumpy and smelled like daisies…sort of. The scent only made her lose her stomach's contents more often. The other half of the flight she spent squeezed between two humongous businessmen. When she finally stumbled off the plane, Umeko's family moved towards the baggage claim.

"Umeko-chan, since today's Sunday and you don't have to unpack, why don't you go exploring?" Umeko's mom suggested at breakfast.

"Hai," Umeko grumbled.

Umeko left soon after breakfast and wandered. She felt drawn but at the same time just bored and lost. At last she stopped and looked at her surroundings.

"Oh!" she gasped as her eyes spotted the cute little café. All the windows looked like hearts. It almost looked like a castle except it was all…pink. The red roofs reminded her of the masques in America. Still, it was pretty. "Kawaii!" she squealed. She ran to the door. "Tokyo…Mew Mew…Mewseum."

_White rabbit ears, white cat tail, white costume. The new Mew Mew. Black cat ears and tail. Pink costume. Brown monkey ears and tail, yellow costume. Blue wings and feathered tail, blue costume. Purple costume, lavender-grey wolf ears and tail. Green costume, white ribbons._

"_Berry!"_

"_That little girl…is she injured?"_

"_No, she's fine. She just fainted."_

"I gotta go in there," Umeko said. She opened the door.

"Ohayō!" a tall man with long dark brown hair greeted her. "The museum is free and in honor of our beloved Mew Mews."

"Arigatō," she replied and wandered off.

Eventually, she stopped.

"DNA merger," she read aloud. "Injected the animal DNA into the Mew Mews."

She glanced up. It was strangely beautiful. It looked like a fountain. Then she noticed it. It was slowly beginning to glow brighter.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" she screamed as it suddenly became blinding. Wind rushed by her. The world vanished.

_Where am I? There's a light._ The light seemed to change shape. _A dormouse?_

"OOOW!" a blinding pain hit her in the back of her knee. But then it disappeared. And she felt warm, fuzzy, and soft like…like…like pink bunny rabbits!

Then the world began to return slowly. Umeko examined herself. She was wearing a cute outfit. She had light pink cloths wrapped around her lower arms and legs. She also had on a green dress and boots. The dress had a scooped neck and only covered her but with a few extra inches. It also had two side slits that came to the top of her hip. A pink bow the color of sunsets tied around her neck. Black mouse ears and a tail had suddenly appeared too. Then she saw the man with long, dark hair and another man with blonde hair and blue, almost aquamarine, eyes.

"Wh-What just happened?" she asked.

"Look, you must be shocked but you just became a Mew Mew. You had some Red Data DNA injected into you just now. It's normal to feel a little woozy—" the blonde guy explained.

"This is sooo cool! I've always dreamed of this! Ever since I was little! Oh, I can't believe this is happening!" Umeko interrupted.

While Umeko began to examine her costume more, the blonde guy conferred with the dark-haired man.

"Keiichiro, I thought that thing was unplugged!" Ryou hissed.

"It is! I just checked! I don't know how it activated," Keiichiro replied.

"Well, then how about the genes? Weren't they removed?"

"Well, yes, but it doesn't matter now. If they were in there, there're in the girl now."

"Yes…I suppose we just have to deal with the consequences. But there's no danger, no need for the Mew Mews. Why did she transform?" Ryou wondered.

"True. All the other Mew Mews lost their ability to transform about eight years ago."

"I guess we'll just wait and see."

"Hey! What are you guys talking about?" Umeko interjected.

"Nothing," Ryou answered flatly.

"Oh, we were just discussing what a beautiful dress that is and what a lovely Mew Mew you'll make!" Keiichiro soothed.

"You really think it's nice?" Umeko asked. "I mean I guess it is but well, I feel like it's really revealing. I almost feel like I have nothing on."

"That's because you do," Ryou muttered.

"Excuse me? What was that?"

Ryou turned around to face a very angry Umeko.

"PERVERT!" Umeko shouted and slapped him on the cheek her right hand. Her left hand moved defensively across her body.

"#$#♦!" Ryou swore.

"Ahem!" Keiichiro gave Ryou a meaningful look.

"Gomen," Ryou grumbled

"Um, how do I go back to normal?" Umeko had seemed to have forgotten Ryou's comment and ignored the swearing.

"Just think about it. Picture your normal clothes and voila!" Ryou answered tersely. He rubbed his injured cheek, which now sported a red hand.

"Just think of my normal clothes," murmured Umeko, closing her eyes. She felt bereft suddenly. She opened her eyes slowly. "Sugoi!"

"Okay, nice to meet you, whoever you are! Now it's time for you to leave!" Ryou began pushing Umeko to the door.

"Oh! Gomen! I'm Yuki Umeko. Nice to meet you. And you are?"

"Akasaka Keiichiro and Shirogane Ryou," Keiichiro said smoothly. "And may I just say it is an honor to meet such a lady as yourself," he leaned down to kiss her hand.

Out of nowhere, a closed fan came flying and hit Keiichiro on the head.

"Keiichiro! I thought you said you would stop flirting with other girls!" a short girl with black hair stormed over. Her brown eyes danced with rage. She grabbed his ear and began to pull.

Umeko stood watching this scene in shock. "Um, excuse me?"

The girl stopped dragging Keiichiro along behind her. "Yes?"

"Who are you?" Umeko asked bluntly.

"_I _am this scumbag's fiancée," she said. "My name is Aizawa Mint."

"Listen, I think there's been a big misunderstanding here," Umeko began.

"Oh no. No misunderstanding," Mint said. "My fiancée just can't stop being an unfaithful lecher!"

"Oh, no! We were just—" Umeko stopped. How could she explain with revealing her new identity?

"She's the latest Mew Mew, Mint," Ryou said.

"What?" Mint's mouth fell open.

"She just got injected."

"I thought you said you weren't going to make any more Mew Mews."

"It was an accident."

"Oh, like Berry."

"Yes."

"Wait, so I'm an accident?" Umeko asked. She felt tears pushing at her eyes. "I wasn't supposed to happen?"

A/N: okay well since I used quite a bit of Japanese in here I feel obligated to translate for you people who don't know it.

_Okāsan_- this means mother

_Hai_- yes, okay

_Kawaii_- cute

_Ohayō_- good morning

_Arigatō_- thank you

_Gomen_- sorry

_Sugoi_- amazing

Okay now honorifics. _Chan_ indicates a friendly familiarity with someone the same age or younger. It's usually used for girls but sometimes boys too. (Not that I'll be doing that.) _San_ is like saying Mr. or Mrs. _Kun_ is the same thing as chan except it's used with boys. _Sama_ shows lots of respect or admiration. _Sensei_ means teacher.

Now the name order might be confusing. When Umeko introduces herself, she puts her last name first. This is the way it's done in Japan. Don't ask me why. I'm not really clear on that.

I also feel obligated to say sorry about the whole pink rabbit thing during the infusion. I couldn't resist. I said it in class and it was so funny and random I wanted to put it in. Oh, and the tossings of her cookies means puking in case you didn't figure it out.

Also I do not own Tokyo Mew Mew.


	2. Chapter 2 Adjusting

Chapter 2: Adjusting

Umeko pulled her uniform's shirt over her head. The dark green sailor shirt was followed by a dark green pleated skirt with a pink stripe at the bottom. Umeko took her tie and slid it under her collar. She grasped the pink material and tied a simple square knot. She pulled on her white knee high socks and then slid into her slippers.

"Ohayo," she mumbled as she sat down at the table.

"Ohayo, Umeko-chan," her mom bubbled as she set Umeko's breakfast down.

"You look nice, Ume-chan," her dad said, pecking her on the cheek.

"Arigato, Otōsan," Umeko replied.

"You must be the cutest girl to ever wear the Junior High uniform," her mom smiled.

"I would look better in my jeans," Umeko whispered under her breath.

"What was that?"

Umeko shrugged. Why disguise it? "I said, I would look better in my jeans."

Her father and mother frowned. "Umeko."

Umeko sighed. She would have to let it go. After all, if they hadn't moved she wouldn't be a Mew Mew. A smile spread across her face. She reached down towards her right knee. Her socks didn't cover the mark. Would her parents notice?

She wolfed down her food and ran up to her room. She grabbed her backpack.

"Umeko-sama!" a pink fluffball with black wings and mouse ears and tail barreled into Umeko.

"Ohayo, Yumi-chan," Umeko laughed.

"_Here," Ryou handed her a pink robotic piece of fluff. "It's R2014."_

"_I shall call it. Yumi."_

"Let's go, Yumi-chan. It's time for school."

The walk to school was pretty uneventful. The only shocking thing was how uneventful the walk was. In America, Umeko had been nearly run over every day on the walk to school. Here…nothing. Not even a bicyclist to clip her accidentally.

The sight of her school made her nearly bite the dirt. The place was bigger than she thought it would be. "Whoa." The word slipped out.

"Hi!" a bright sunshiny voice shocked Umeko out of her staring fest.

"Huh?" she turned to see a short girl with bright yellow hair grinning at her.

"You're the new American girl, right? I'm Igarashi Sakura, and you're Yuki Umeko!" the girl chattered.

"I'm not actually an American," Umeko tried to sound firm but failed.

"American Umeko!" Yumi chirped.

_Aw, shoot!_ Umeko thought.

"We're going to be the best of friends!" Sakura took Umeko's hand.

"H-H-Hai," Umeko stammered in shock.

"Wait. Is that a robot?" Sakura asked spotting Yumi.

"Ummm…" Umeko gaped. "Hai!"

"Robot, that's me!" Yumi chirped again.

"Cool," Sakura said nonchalantly. "You can call me Sakura-chan by the way. Can I call you Umeko-chan? What's the robot's name? And what's the deal with it?"

_She'll never believe the truth, _Umeko thought.

"It's name is Yumi. She's my guide to being a Mew Mew," Umeko smiled.

"That…is so cool!" Sakura screamed as she suddenly embraced Umeko."

"Eep!" Umeko shrieked as her ears and tail popped out. Yumi gaped and her tail went straight.

Watching from afar, Ryou grasped his hair. "I can't believe this…" he groaned.

"Ooh, look! Your ears and tail are out!" Sakura's distant squeal reached his ears.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Umeko's scream was perfectly clear.

"Oops," Yumi spat out.

"RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNGG!"

_The last bell, _Umeko almost whispered. _Is Sakura around? I don't feel like another ear-popping incident._ Umeko peaked around the corner. _I guess I'm being mean to Sakura but I can't risk it! She'd understand. Right? Right!_

A hand came from behind her to clamp over her mouth.

"Umph!" Umeko grunted. Next thing she knew, she was zipping away in a car.

"WHAT IS UP!" Umeko screamed.

"Huh?" Ryou said.

"I DON'T WANT TO WORK AT A CAFÉ ALL ALONE!" Umeko continued.

"You're just like Ichigo sometimes," Ryou mused.

"Excuse me? I thought you were over her."

"I am. I'm engaged to Fujiwara Zakuro."

"Oh."

"Anyway. Enough about my personal life. There's been some weird readings over near the center of town," Ryou became very businesslike.

"What kind of weird readings?" Umeko asked.

"Some kind of virus. It's attacked an animal and caused permanent genetic changes. Well, except for someone like a Mew Mew," he smiled.

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Umeko grinned. "Mew Mew Plum Metamorphooooosis!"

She popped out of her transformation in a cannonball. "Mew Umeko has arrived!"

"Heeeeelp!" a poor pedestrian screamed as a mutated animal advanced.

"Stop right there!" Umeko shouted. "For a world of dreamers, I'll lend my services! Chu!" She backhanded her hip and threw her other hand up to frame her open eye. The hand made the sign I love you.

"Plum Blossom Star!" A star with a pink flower appeared. "Ribbon…Plum Blossom…Check!"

The animal shrieked as it returned to normal.

"Are you okay?" Umeko knelt by the innocent bystander.

"What are you? Who are you?" the person scrambled backward.

"I'm a Mew Mew. I happen to be Mew Umeko."

"Thanks…I guess," the person mumbled and ran off.

"Wow! That was sugoi. I can't believe it," she spread-eagled on the grass. "I'm so excited. I can't feel my feet," she giggled. "I can't feel my feet! I can't feel my feet!" she rolled in the grass.

"Hey!" Sakura leaned over Umeko.

"Whaa!" Umeko screamed.

"You were the coolest! Man you are so lucky."

"How did you find me?" Umeko asked rising.

"I followed the car the blonde guy pulled you into," Sakura answered.

"You—" Umeko stopped. How could she say this nicely? What she wanted to say was "You're a freaking stalker!" But that was really mean… "Look, Sakura-chan, you're really nice but…well, I can't afford for you to keep shocking me in public. Being a Mew Mew is something I have to keep secret."

"Is it now? I knew a girl just like you once. Well except for the green hair," a man with dark green hair and stunning gold eyes extended a hand. "Hey, I'm Kish."

_What is with those gigantic ears?_ Umeko wondered.

"Wait…are you one of the aliens who tried to take over Tokyo years ago?" Sakura asked.

"Yeah," Kish replied. "My buddies dragged me along for the ride."

Umeko looked behind him. There were three aliens there. One was rather short with brown pigtails. Another was tall with black hair and the last was medium height with auburn hair.

"Are you here to attack earth again?" Umeko shifted to a stronger position.

"Actually no," Kish said. "We're here to get married."

Sakura and Umeko gaped. "Get married?"

"Yeah, Tart there is marrying this girl named Fong Pudding," he indicated Mr. Brown Pigtails. "Pie is marrying Midorikawa Lettuce." Here he indicated Mr. Tall and dark. "And Kyo is marrying Akaii Ringo. I'm not marrying anyone."

"Okay, I think my life just got a whole lot more complicated," Umeko stated.

A/N okay I'm some OCs in this chapter and I don't think I used any new words. Thank you, kind reviewer shashuko the paisley maiden.

Okay not much to say besides I'll try to get the next chapter up soon


	3. Chapter 3: Crushed

Chapter 3: Crushed

"Well, come on," Kish turned to Umeko. "Don't you want to meet your predecessors?"

"You-you mean…the MEWMEWS?!" Umeko squealed.

"Man, how new to this are you?" Kish asked with a smile.

"Um…like a day," Umeko blushed.

"Ah, that explains it," Kish said as he set off. His posse followed him.

"W-w-wait!" Umeko ran after him. "Are you sure they won't be mad? I mean, you did do all that horrible stuff in the past."

"Sure, but we've already seen them since then. How do you think these three got engaged?" Kish pointed out logically.

"Oh. Hai."

Umeko entered the Tokyo Mew Mew Mewseum with Sakura clinging to her arm.

"Oh my…word! Look at this place!" Sakura squealed in Umeko's ear. "It's like sooooo kawaii!"

"Does she ever shut up?" Kish whispered in Umeko's other ear when Sakura broke off her stranglehold. His lips brushed her mouse ear slightly and Umeko barely resisted the shiver that rushed through her.

"I don't think so," Umeko whispered back. "She hasn't been quiet for more than two seconds since I met her this morning."

"Such a long relationship," Kish smiled. "However have you survived?"

Umeko giggled. "I have no idea," she mumbled under her breath.

"Ah, Umeko-chan, you're back!" Keiichiro greeted her. "And you've brought friends. You're lucky. The entire team is here. You can meet them right now."

"Wait. What team?" Umeko asked, off-balance from Kish's presence at her side.

"The Mew Mews, of course," Keiichiro smiled.

Umeko ran past him with Sakura close on her heels. BAM! The two burst through the doors and the women and three men looked up.

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked. "You look like a Mew Mew cosplayer. Except, I've never seen that outfit before."

"She's Mew Umeko," Ryou stood. "She was created a day ago. That's actually why I asked you to come here."

"Let me guess," Masaya interrupted. "You want to see if any of the girls can transform again."

"Hai, but also I wanted to know if one of them would mind tutoring Umeko-chan in how to be a Mew Mew," Ryou answered.

"Oooh, Pudding will do it, nan no da!" Pudding squealed.

"Noooooooo!" everyone screamed at the same time.

"Umm, Ichigo-chan, Berry-chan, Mint-chan, Lettuce-chan, I would prefer one of you do it," Ryou explained. "Not that you can't do it, Zakuro, Pudding-chan, and Ringo-chan. I just think the more experienced Mew Mews and the ones who grew as a Mew Mew would do better at teaching Umeko-chan."

"Um, I'll do it," Lettuce volunteered.

"Arigatō, Lettuce-chan," Ryou replied.

"It's Tart, nan no da!" Pudding screeched suddenly. The next thing everyone knew was that Pudding had somehow crossed the room and tackled Tart.

"Pie-sama," Lettuce whispered as her eyes met his.

Umeko watched as everyone else paired off in couples. Her stomach clenched then. She didn't have anyone to sit with at a table. She never had. Sakura quickly said goodbye saying she had homework to do.

"Well, it appears the two of us are the only ones without someone to sit with," Kish's voice came from beside her. "Want to sit with me?"

"Umm, sure," Umeko said. They moved towards an open table and Kish pulled out a chair. Umeko hesitantly sat down.

"Well, this is…fun," Umeko said as they sat across from each other in silence.

"Hai," Kish said, drumming his fingers on the table. "So, why were you so excited to meet the Mew Mews?"

"Well, when I was about five, I was in awe of the Mew Mews. They were my idols. I was in Shibuya when that building blew up. In fact, I was inside that building. In the panic during the evacuation, I got separated from Okāsan. I was alone in a foyer, crying when Mew Berry arrived. It was only seconds before the explosion. The building exploded but I didn't die," Umeko looked up from the table here. "Mew Berry saved me. I fainted during the explosion. If it hadn't been for Mew Berry, I would be dead. But my experience with the Mew Mews didn't end there. When I finally came around, the people were rioting against the Mew Mews. Specifically, Mew Berry. The white Mew Mew. The one who saved me. I ran in search of Mew Berry. I don't know why but I had a feeling she needed help. That she needed me. I found her caught by the people and looking so sad. I ran out in front of her, between her and her attackers. 'Don't attack the Mew Mew!' I shouted. But they didn't listen. 'Kill Mew Berry,' they said. They began to say horrible things about Mew Berry. That she was the enemy, that she was horrible. I knew they were wrong. She saved me. She saved me when she should have run for her life. She could've died. So I knew it wasn't true. Mew Berry begged them to stop. She threw off her attackers, apologizing, and grabbed me. She jumped away and took me somewhere safe. She saw someone and thanked me. Then she ran off. It was then I decided that I wanted to be a Mew Mew someday."

"So, that's why. Because you were saved by Mew Berry twice," Kish mused. "You're really lucky."

"Hai," Umeko replied thoughtfully. "I guess I am."

"Excuse me, but you remind me of someone," Berry stood by their table.

"Really? Who?" Umeko feigned innocence.

"I'm not positive but I think you're the little girl I rescued from Shibuya," Berry said. She leaned closer. "You have her hair color and you do your hair in the same way."

"Well, you're right," Umeko tilted her head to the side and smiled. "I am that little girl. Except I'm not so little anymore."

"I can't believe it," Berry said. "After all this time I've run into you again. I always wanted to thank you."

"Oh, no!" Umeko rushed to interject, "I should be thanking you! After all, you saved me twice. I only saved you once. So really I'm the one still in debt."

"That girl's really special," Masaya said. "She's been gone from Japan for a while and yet she still remembers all the facets of Japanese culture."

"What do you mean, Masaya?" Ichigo asked, looking up from her strawberry shortcake. "How can you tell she's been away from Japan?"

"Her accent," Masaya replied. "It sounds a little different."

"Well, she must be a true Japanese girl. Look what she has tucked away in her bookbag," Ichigo pointed. Peeking out from Umeko's bookbag was a copy of _Tokyo Mew Mew_.

"This is bound to be interesting," Masaya chuckled as he watched Umeko converse with Berry.

**A/N: **I don't think I used any new words in this chapter


	4. Chapter 4: Balancing

Chapter 4: Balancing

"Ohayō, Umeko-chan!" Sakura shouted enthusiastically when she saw Umeko the next day.

"I think I just became deaf," Umeko muttered under her breath. "Oof!" she breathed as Sakura tackled her. "It's nice to see you too, Sakura-chan," Umeko smiled hesitantly.

"I missed you sooooooo much!" Sakura informed Umeko as she hugged her.

"But we just met. And you saw me yesterday," Umeko attempted to loosen Sakura's stranglehold.

"But that was yesterday!" Sakura cried.

_I cannot take this! _Umeko thought. "Look! A hot alien!" Umeko exclaimed, pointing at the sky.

"Really? Where?" Sakura let go of Umeko and turned around.

Umeko ran to her empty homeroom. "I'm alive," she sighed. She gasped as she felt a jolt pass through her body. _What was that?_ she wondered. _What's this feeling? Something's not right…_

"Danger, danger!" Yumi's muffled voice came from inside Umeko's book bag. Umeko rummaged through and brought out her cell phone. Yumi hung from it in miniature form, disguised as a charm.

"Yumi-chan? What's wrong?" Umeko asked as she dangled Yumi in front of her face.

"Umeko-chan? Can you hear me?" Ryou's voice emitted from Yumi.

"Whaa!" Umeko nearly dropped the robot and cell phone. "Ryou-kun?" Umeko asked in disbelief.

"You need to transform now!" Ryou told her.

"But I have school!" Umeko protested.

"There's an infected alley cat not far from your school. In fact, it appears to be headed to your school," Ryou informed her, ignoring her protest.

"You—you don't mean—" Umeko asked hesitantly.

"Hai. It seems to be targeting you."

"If I don't do something…it'll attack the school in search of me, won't it?" Umeko whispered to herself. "I'm going in," she told Ryou.

"The other MewMews are on their way," Ryou replied.

"Mew Mew Plum Metamorphosis!" she shouted. Pink and green lights engulfed her. They enveloped her and became her battle outfit. Her ears popped out and her tail appeared. The lights dimmed and Umeko landed on the ground. "Mew Umeko has arrived! Come on, Yumi!" Umeko ran out of her homeroom and through the halls. She noticed that the halls were slowly filling with students. She caught snips of conversations as she ran by her classmates.

"Oh my word—"

"Did you see that?"

"Is she a Mew Mew?"

"No way she's just a cosplayer—"

"I haven't seen the Mew Mews in years—"

"She's so kawaii!"

"Who do you think she is?"

Umeko burst out the doors and into the courtyard.

"Umeko-chan!" Sakura ran up to Umeko. "There's a giant monster coming! It was huge! It was like all spiky fur and claws and—"

"I get the picture," Umeko said as the mutated cat crashed through the school gates. It looked like it had been dragged out of its grave. Its fur was a ghastly greenish color. "Sakura-chan, run! I'll take care of this!" Umeko shouted as she ran towards the monster. _Just stall until the other Mews get here,_ Umeko told herself.

"Hey, you!"

The monster looked around as if wondering if the comment was directed at it.

"Hai, you, you overgrown zombie cat!" Umeko yelled. "How dare you barge into my school! You destroyed the gates and terrified innocent students! For a world of dreamers, I will be of service! Chu!" Umeko did her traditional pose.

"Mroooooow!" the mutated cat pounced at Umeko.

"Whoa!" she gasped as she dodged the blow by leaping into a tree. Her animal DNA allowed her to grip a rather thin branch. Her tail helped her balance. "Sugoi!" she cried as she realized what she was doing. The cat turned towards her and hissed. "Uh oh," she whispered and quickly jumped into the next tree. She continued to jump from tree to tree.

With a growl, the cat destroyed the tree in front of Umeko and its swipe rapidly approached the tree Umeko was currently in.

"Nuts," she exclaimed. Her mind raced and her gaze darted about her. Nothing presented itself to her as a viable escape route. The cat hissed and prepared to attack. _It's over. I'm going to die,_ Umeko thought and shut her eyes.

"Mew Umeko!"

Umeko opened her eyes at the sound of her name. She turned her head and saw Mew Ichigo and the other Mews.

"Summon your weapon! It'll shield you!" Ichigo shouted.

"Wha--?" Umeko asked, not comprehending.

"Umeko-chan, look out!" Mint screamed.

Umeko looked back at the cat to see its mouth about to envelop her. "Plum Blossom Star!" she shouted, instincts taking over. She grabbed her weapon and thrust it up towards the maw. A pink and green shield enveloped Umeko. The cat's jaws collided with it. It roared with pain and stumbled backwards.

"Now, Mew Umeko! Attack!" Ichigo shouted.

"We'll help you!" Berry told Umeko.

"Ribbon Plum Blossom Check!"

"Ribbon Strawberry Check!"

"Ribbon Loveberry Check!"

The three attacks hit the mutated cat. It writhed in pain then fell to the ground completely normal. The cat raced away.

"Umeko-chan!" Sakura barreled into Umeko. "Daijōbu?"

"H-hai," Umeko replied.

"Look! It's the Mew Mews!" someone shouted.

"I can't believe it! I haven't seen them in years!" a crowd began to form.

"And now it's time to make our exit!" Ichigo cried as she grabbed Umeko's hand and ran towards the gate.

"Where are we going?" Umeko asked Ichigo as she followed her.

"To the Tokyo Mew Mew Mewseum, of course," Ichigo replied. "Shirogane needs to speak with you."

"Does he have to talk to Sakura-chan too?" Umeko asked. "Or can we let her go back to school?"

"No, he needs to speak to her too," Ichigo answered.

"Here we are, nan no da!" Pudding announced.

"Ah, there you are," Keiichiro smiled at the super girls. "Ryou! They're back!"

Ryou walked around the corner. "Ohayō, everyone," Ryou greeted everyone. "Everyone except Sakura-chan and Umeko-chan can go.

"What do you think of this place?" Ryou asked the two girls.

"It's kawaii!" the girls answered in unison.

"Great. You'll be working here from now on."

"What?!"

"There's a café in the museum that you'll be working in."

"Great. So I will have to work in a café all alone," Umeko muttered. "Is that all?"

"Hai. You can go now. You start today after school."

Umeko transformed back into her school uniform and she and Sakura bid Keiichiro goodbye and returned to school.

"All students are being sent home early due to the attack this morning," the loudspeakers announced. "Please head home now."

Umeko shut her front door with a sigh.

"Umeko-chan!" her mother hugged. "Oh, I was so worried! After I heard what happened to your school, I was worried that you were hurt!"

"No, I'm fine, Okasan," Umeko replied.

"I always knew those Mew Mews only brought about trouble," her mother said as she released her daughter. "Apparently, there was a Mew at your school and the monster came after it. If that Mew hadn't been there, that monster wouldn't have attacked anyone. I don't understand why you like them."

"Okasan, umm, I have to tell you something," Umeko paused. "I—" _I should tell her I'm a Mew Mew._

"Hai?"

"I've…got a job. At a museum," Umeko told her. _I couldn't do it._

"I'll be in my room," Umeko called back to her mom as she left the room.

* * *

"Peppermint tea, please!"

"I'll have a strawberry shortcake!"

"Coming!" Umeko smiled as she carried a tray to a table.

"Welcome!" Sakura greeted a new guest. "This way please," she showed the guest to a table.

"Where's my blueberry tart?"

"Coming right up--!" Umeko ran into someone on her way into the kitchen. "Gomen—" Umeko began but stopped when she saw Kish above her. "Kish!"

**

* * *

A/N**: Sorry for the long wait. I finally got around my writer's block.

_Okāsan_- this means mother

_Hai_- yes, okay

_Kawaii_- cute

_Ohayō_- good morning

_Arigatō_- thank you

_Gomen_- sorry

_Sugoi_- amazing

_Daijōbu-_ I'm okay/ Are you okay?

Okay now honorifics. _Chan_ indicates a friendly familiarity with someone the same age or younger. It's usually used for girls but sometimes boys too. (Not that I'll be doing that.) _San_ is like saying Mr. or Mrs. _Kun_ is the same thing as chan except it's used with boys. _Sama_ shows lots of respect or admiration. _Sensei_ means teacher.

If you know what type of dormouse Umeko is infused with, it's the Japanese dormouse. You can see a picture of it at this link. Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 !-- /* Style Definitions */ , , {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} 1 {page:Section1;} -- ..


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